Tartar

Tar·tar
/ ˈtärtər/
•
n. hist.
a member of the combined forces of central Asian peoples, including Mongols and Turks, who under the leadership of Genghis Khan conquered much of Asia and eastern Europe in the early 13th century, and under Tamerlane (14th century) established an empire with its capital at Samarkand. See also Tatar. ∎
(tartar)
a harsh, fierce, or intractable person:
"Merciful God! but you're a tartar, miss!" said the sheriff, ruefully.DERIVATIVES:Tar·tar·i·an
/ tärˈte(ə)rēən/ adj.

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tartar, dental

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.

Copyright The Columbia University Press

dental tartar, precipitate of saliva that accumulates around teeth at the gum line. Composed primarily of calcium salts, tartar forms as a hard brownish substance that irritates gums and causes them to recede. Inflammation of this tissue may lead to the recession and infection of the bones in which teeth are imbedded and result in the loosening and loss of teeth. As symptoms may not become apparent until serious damage has occurred, periodic dental visits for the removal of tartar are recommended.

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tartar

tar·tar
/ ˈtärtər/
•
n.
a hard calcified deposit that forms on the teeth and contributes to their decay. ∎
a deposit of impure potassium hydrogen tartrate formed during the fermentation of wine. See also cream of tartar.
DERIVATIVES:tar·tar·ic
/ tärˈtarik/ adj.

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Tartar

Tartar a member of the combined forces of central Asian peoples, including Mongols and Turks, who under the leadership of Genghis Khan conquered much of Asia and eastern Europe in the early 13th century, and under Tamerlane (14th century) established an empire with its capital at Samarkand.

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tartar

tartar Hard gritty deposit of plaque and minerals that accumulates on and between teeth. Originally the name given by alchemists to animal and vegetable concretions, such as wine lees, stone, gravel, and deposits on teeth, since they were all attributed to the same cause.

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tartar

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.

Copyright The Columbia University Press

tartar or argol (är´gəl), impure potassium hydrogen tartrate deposited as a crust in fermenting vessels during wine making. When purified, it yields cream of tartar. Tartar is the chief natural source of tartaric acid.

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